CYCLING

Team Pfeiffer Cycling Heads into Championship Weekend Looking to Repeat as Champs

April 14, 2010

MISENHEIMER, N.C. – Team Pfeiffer Cycling leads the ACCC by 76 points heading into the Conference Championships this weekend at Virginia Tech. Pfeiffer is trying to become back-to-back ACCC champions.

On Saturday, Justin Beard led Pfeiffer Cycling to a 76 point overall lead by winning the men’s A criterium in downtown Clarksburg, WV. He followed that win with the 72 mountain road race win Sunday. With the help of Michael Robinson, Beard was able to fight off several teams that covered him both days. NCSU, VT, Duke and UMD did all they could to stop the Pfeiffer assault. Robinson finished 11th and 14th aiding in the overall win. Robinson covered breaks, attacks and all other efforts to stop Beard. First place in both races came from an Arizona State racer that could not earn conference points. He teamed up with Beard to assist in a Pfeiffer conference victory. Beard now moves into first place in the men’s A overall.

Stephanie Bunnett won both her races as well as Paige Beard took her races. Inside each race were primes that were taken by the Pfeiffer women’s B and C racers. Both women were placed with the men’s race on Sunday. KC Fee won many points in the criterium and took a strong second place finish working the entire race with Navy. The mountains took their toll as Fee finished fifth in the road race. Her efforts aided greatly all weekend in the overall point gain.

Michael Brown attacked the field several times in the Men’s B crit. He took many prime points for the day as he finished a strong seventh in a big field sprint. Again on Sunday, the mountains took its toll. Brown flatted and chased for over 11 miles. He caught the field at the bottom of the long, very steep climb. He was unable to stay in contact and had to pull out of the race. His major efforts sparked the team for the rest of the day.

Eric Serkercan raced the Men’s Ds. On Saturday, UMD , VT and WVU tried to control the entire race. By covering all attacks and placing in the primes, Sekercan set himself up for the final sprint. In a dramatic finish, Sekercan flew out of the pack to take the win away from a UMD racer that never saw Sekercan fly by for the win. Sunday’s race was as exciting as UMD pulled away from Pfeiffer on the final climb. Sekercan not only caught and passed VT and WVU, he caught his main UMD rival and out sprinted him for the win.

Team Pfeiffer Cycling now leads the D2 ACCC by 76 points going into the championship weekend. The ACCC Championships are in Blacksburg, VA held by VT, April 17th and 18th.